HR man found dead near Ecola Falls

The body of a Hood River man was found at the bottom of Ecola Falls early Saturday afternoon.

The man was later identified as Douglas Fry, 63, who died after apparently falling approximately 60 feet from Trail #441 to the bottom of Ecola Falls, located at the east end of Multnomah County.

Multnomah County Sheriff’s deputies were dispatched at approximately 1:05 p.m. Saturday on a call from a hiker out on Trail #441 near the top of Ecola Falls who found some items on the edge of the trail and was concerned someone might have fallen off the trail. The caller later confirmed they could see what looked like a body in the water.

MCSO deputies arrived and located Fry’s body in a creek near Ecola Falls. MCSO Deputies recovered Fry’s body from the creek and Portland Mountain Rescue was called out to assist in transporting the body back up from the creek to the trail.

MCSO detectives are handling the death investigation. As of press time, the official cause of death had not been released.

On Thursday, MCSO deputies, Multnomah County Search and Rescue, Portland Mountain Rescue, and Mountain Wave Communications helped rescue a group of six hikers who had spent the night out in the woods after getting lost on the Multnomah Falls Trail. The hikers, who were from Gladstone, Grass Valley and Oregon City, were found safe and sound Thursday afternoon almost 24 hours after beginning their hike the previous day.